2025 Holiday Military Base Mailroom Shipping Deadlines

Heads up, Letter Senders! With Christmas and New Year’s quickly approaching, we want to make sure you’re aware of upcoming base mailroom closures and the shipping deadlines for Sandboxx Letters. Below, you’ll find the recommended send-by dates for each base to help ensure your letter arrives in time for the holidays.

Please remember that holiday mail processing can be unpredictable. Staff shortages, increased mailroom volume, and other unexpected delays may occur, so we strongly recommend sending your letters as early as possible.

Note: All schedules are based on the latest information provided directly by base mailrooms, but they may change as the holidays get closer. The mailroom schedules are adjusted at the discretion of the Command at each base.

Want to send some Holiday cheer? Check out our Sandboxx Christmas images to include in your Letter.

Happy Letter Writing.

Sandboxx Holiday Printing Schedule

December 12 – Final Print: 5:00 PM ET
Ensures holiday delivery for all Army bases.

December 17 – Final Print: 4:30 PM ET
Ensures delivery before the holiday break for Quantico TBS and Camp Lejeune ITB.

December 22 – Final Print: 5:00 PM ET
Ensures holiday delivery for Parris Island.

December 23 – Final Print: 5:00 PM ET
All bases except Parris Island printed and shipped for 12/24 delivery (mailroom availability not guaranteed).

December 24–28
Sandboxx Mailroom Closed for Christmas Break

December 29 – Final Print: 4:30 PM ET
Letters for Parris Island, San Diego, Great Lakes, Cape May, and Lackland printed and shipped for 12/30 delivery.

December 30 – Final Print: 4:30 PM ET
Letters for San Diego, Great Lakes, Cape May, and Lackland printed and shipped for 12/31 delivery (not guaranteed).
Letters for Parris Island, Quantico TBS, Camp Lejeune, Fort Benning, Fort Jackson, and Fort Sill printed and shipped for 1/5 delivery.

December 31 – January 1
Sandboxx Mailroom Closed for New Year’s Break

January 2, 2026 – Final Print: 1:00 PM ET
Letters for all bases, including delayed Fort Leonard Wood letters, printed and shipped for 1/5 delivery.

*All Fort Jackson, Fort Leonard Wood, Fort Benning, and Fort Sill letters submitted between 12/12 at 5 pm ET and 1/2 at 1 pm ET will be printed and shipped for delivery on 1/5. Check out this post for a detailed overview of Army Holiday Block Leave and what to expect.

Army

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday for the Army

Army (All Locations) → December 12 Hold

Mail submitted after 5:00 PM ET on December 12 will be held until training resumes in January and delivered on January 5.

Mail submitted before 5:00 PM ET on December 12 will be printed as usual.

BASE | DATES CLOSED | MAILROOM RECEIVING LETTERS
Fort Benning | 12/18/25 – 1/2/26 | 1/5/26
Fort Jackson | 12/20/25 – 1/3/26 | 1/5/26
Fort Leonard Wood | 12/19/25 – 1/4/26 | 1/5/26
Fort Sill | 12/20/25 – 1/3/26 | 1/5/26

Marine Corps

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday for the Marine Corps

Parris Island

Before 5:00 PM ET on December 22 → Delivered December 23

Dec 22 (after 5 PM) to Dec 29 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 30

After 4:30 PM on December 29 → Delivered January 5

San Diego

Dec 23 (after 5 PM) to Dec 29 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 30

Dec 29 (after 4:30 PM) to Dec 30 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 31

After 4:30 PM on December 30 → Delivered January 5

Quantico TBS & Camp Lejeune

After 4:30 PM ET on December 17 → Delivered January 5

Don’t forget, the Sandboxx Mailroom will only be fulfilling Letters on December 29th (with December 30th delivery) and December 30th (with December 31st delivery) between the Christmas and New Year holidays.

BASE | DATES CLOSED | MAILROOM RECEIVING LETTERS

MCRD San Diego

12/25/25
1/1/26

12/24/25
12/30/25
12/31/25
1/5/26

MCRD Parris Island

12/24/25 – 12/26/25
12/31/25 – 1/2/26

12/23/25
12/30/25
1/5/26

Quantico TBS

12/19/25 – 1/3/26

12/18/25
1/5/26

Camp Lejeune

12/20/25 – 1/3/26

12/18/25
1/5/26

Air Force

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday at Lackland Air Force Base

Before 5:00 PM on December 23 → Delivered December 24

Dec 23 (after 5 PM) to Dec 29 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 30

Dec 29 (after 4:30 PM) to Dec 30 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 31

After 4:30 PM on December 30 → Delivered January 5

Don’t forget, the Sandboxx Mailroom will only be fulfilling Letters on December 29th (with December 30th delivery) and December 30th (with December 31st delivery) between the Christmas and New Year holidays.

BASE | DATES CLOSED | MAILROOM RECEIVING LETTERS

JBSA Lackland

12/25/25
1/1/26

12/24/25
12/30/25
12/31/25
1/5/26

Navy

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays for the RTC Great Lakes

Before 5:00 PM on December 23 → Delivered December 24

Dec 23 (after 5 PM) to Dec 29 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 30

Dec 29 (after 4:30 PM) to Dec 30 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 31

After 4:30 PM on December 30 → Delivered January 5

Don’t forget, the Sandboxx Mailroom will only be fulfilling Letters on December 29th (with December 30th delivery) and December 30th (with December 31st delivery) between the Christmas and New Year holidays.

BASE | DATES CLOSED | MAILROOM RECEIVING LETTERS

RTC Great Lakes

12/25/25
1/1/26

12/24/25
12/30/25
12/31/25
1/5/26

Coast Guard

Below are the base mailroom closures for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays for Training Center Cape May.

Before 5:00 PM on December 23 → Delivered December 24

Dec 23 (after 5 PM) to Dec 29 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 30

Dec 29 (after 4:30 PM) to Dec 30 (4:30 PM) → Delivered December 31

After 4:30 PM on December 30 → Delivered January 5

Don’t forget, the Sandboxx Mailroom will only be fulfilling Letters on December 29th (with December 30th delivery) and December 30th (with December 31st delivery) between the Christmas and New Year holidays.

BASE | DATES CLOSED | MAILROOM STATUS

Cape May

12/25/25
1/1/26

12/24/25
12/30/25
12/31/25
1/5/26

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